Florida's Leak is 'real hungry'

Quarterback looking to silence his critics

GAINESVILLE -- Suddenly, Chris Leak is running out of time, running out of options and running from a quarterback controversy that could ruin his final days at Florida.

"It's gone by pretty fast," said Leak, who can't believe he is on the threshold of his final season as the quarterback at Florida, where he has led the Gators for three disappointing seasons.

It wasn't supposed to be this way.

Leak was suppose to win championships and Heismans, but he has not come close to either, and now as he prepares for his final chance at college football glory, he finds himself sharing the spotlight. He hears the whispers of how freshman Tim Tebow will save Florida football.

Just three years ago, it was Leak who was the savior, the bright, young quarterback with the golden arm and promise of greatness.

He vowed to win a national title. Yet Florida's trophy case is empty -- the Gators haven't even played for an SEC title or been near a BCS bowl -- and Leak has never received even one vote for the Heisman Trophy.

And he's coming off a season in which he was stuck on a team that couldn't protect him, that couldn't win on the road and with a coach who says his biggest problem is that he hasn't won a title.

"The only criticism of Chris Leak, in my opinion, is he hasn't won a championship," coach Urban Meyer said. "The reason Rex Grossman, Shane Matthews and Danny Wuerffel were great quarterbacks is because they've got a ring that says they're the best, not because they threw for a number of yards."

Right fit for offense?

In fact, Leak, who has had two coaches and three offensive coordinators, threw for more yards and touchdowns before Meyer showed up at UF with his hyped spread-option offense that had been a success at Bowling Green and Utah.

That offense proved to be ill-suited for Leak, a classic drop-back passer who never has been an option quarterback. Tebow is, hence the constant conjecture that Tebow fits better in Meyer's offense. Not only is Tebow quicker, but he is bigger than Leak and comfortable running the ball. He ran the spread in high school well enough to lead Nease High to a state title, and he showed his speed during Florida's Orange and Blue spring game.

The spring game fueled much of the controversy because Tebow had a much better day than Leak -- passing and running. Leak didn't help his image by waiting more than an hour before finally speaking to the media after the game.

Leak's biggest problem last season wasn't running the option; it was running away from the pass rush. Not only was he forced to rush his throws, but he was sacked 24 times in the first seven games before Meyer made changes in the offense during a bye week to better suit Leak, who improved in his final four games.

By the time the Gators got to the Outback Bowl, there was little of the option left and Leak was back in the pocket, looking a lot like the quarterback who threw for almost 3,200 yards the previous season. That's when Leak is at his best.

"When he has time, he can pick you apart," said Georgia defensive end Quentin Moses, considered one of the best defensive linemen in the SEC. "That's what he does, he just picks teams apart. He is such an accurate passer. He throws a great pass and can put the ball wherever he wants it. That's why he is so tough. And he is a lot faster than people think."

How will this combination work this season? Meyer insists his offense is built to suit his personnel and that Leak can flourish.

"I don't agree with the square peg in a round hole," Meyer said. "It's our job to make it a square peg in a square hole or a round peg in a round hole, and we're doing that.

"Chris is not a great runner. Can he be a functional runner? Absolutely. He had some great games running the ball a year ago. Every quarterback at some point, in my opinion, has got to make plays with his legs sometimes. Chris certainly has the ability. He just has to be a little bit more productive at it."

But Meyer also insists that Leak was better under him last season, despite the numbers: Leak had Heisman-like numbers as a sophomore, throwing for 3,197 yards and 29 TDs. He was the top quarterback in the SEC. But under Meyer, Leak was no better than the fourth-best quarterback in the conference as he threw for 2,639 yards and 20 TDs. Meyer says Leak was better because he threw fewer interceptions, had a better percentage and won one more game.

Leak OK with criticism

It seems unfair to criticize Leak for not winning a title, because as a sophomore, Leak watched his defense lose three games in the final minute. Had UF won any of those games, it would have played in the SEC title game. And had the Gators won all three, they probably would have been one of the top-ranked teams in the nation.

A loss to Tennessee kept the Gators out of the 2003 SEC title game, but Leak didn't start that game. He got his first start the next week, his fourth game as a freshman, and later beat three top-10 teams in a row on the road, including handing LSU's national-championship team its only loss of the season. Leak threw for 2,435 yards that year, just 204 yards shy of his total in 12 games last season. Is it fair for Meyer to criticize Leak for not winning a title?

"Whether it's fair or not, that's other people's opinion," Leak said. "We want to win games here. That's what you come here for, to win big games and titles.

"When you don't reach your goal, it's disappointing. All of these guys -- all of these seniors -- we want a title. We want a ring on our finger right now. It's real disappointing. For us seniors, we're real hungry this year."